The 300-strong British team will be the last of the 166 nations welcomed into the Paralympic Village in Stratford on Tuesday as 4,280 athletes compete to win 503 gold medals across 20 sports during 11 days of competition from Thursday.

Four years ago, Britain won 42 golds and 102 medals in all and finished second in the medal table behind hosts China, who claimed 211 medals including 89 golds. The target is 103 medals in London.

Craig Hunter, ParalympicsGB chef de mission, said: “We want to use the power of sport to change the way people think, feel and behave towards disability and our athletes are absolutely determined that their performances will inspire young people to get involved in sport or get involved in something to enrich their lives.”

Tim Hollingsworth, chief executive of the British Paralympic Association, hopes the Games will create “an irreversible momentum”.

“As the BPA, we now must seek to catch and build on this inspiration, we need to work with those responsible for delivering sport in communities and schools to make sure there are more opportunities for disabled people.

"I’m looking forward to our holding a Paralympic festival that we’ll look to hold within three months of the end of the Games, really looking to maximise the impact of that stardust. This is an opportunity for us as a nation to think differently, to challenge perceptions and the way people think, feel and behave towards disability.”

Swimmer Ellie Simmonds won two Paralympic gold medals aged 13 in 2008 and hopes London has a wide impact. “I hope the London 2012 Paralympics inspire the next generation,” she said.

“Hopefully anyone out there will watch us Paralympians and think 'I can go to try that’. Having things like this will get people involved in sport and get people going to Rio and beyond.”